Chapter XXX
Death of Captain Savage--His funeral--Specimen of true Barbadian born--Sucking the monkey--Effects of a hurricane.
The next morning, having hove-to part of the night, land was discoveredon the bow, and was reported by the mast-head man at the same momentthat the surgeon came up and announced the death of our noble captain.Although it had been expected for the last two or three days, theintelligence created a heavy gloom throughout the ship; the men workedin silence, and spoke to one another in whispers. Mr Falcon was deeplyaffected, and so were we all. In the course of the morning, we ran in tothe island, and unhappy as I was, I never can forget the sensation ofadmiration which I felt on closing with Needham Point to enter CarlisleBay. The beach of such a pure dazzling white, backed by the tall, greencocoa-nut trees, waving their spreading heads to the fresh breeze, thedark blue of the sky, and the deeper blue of the transparent sea,occasionally varied into green as we passed by the coral rocks whichthrew their branches out from the bottom--the town opening to our viewby degrees, houses after houses, so neat, with their green jalousies,dotting the landscape, the fort with the colours flying, troops ofofficers riding down, a busy population of all colours, relieved by thewhiteness of their dress. Altogether the scene realised my first ideasof Fairyland, for I thought I had never witnessed anything so beautiful."And can this be such a dreadful place as it is described?" thought I.The sails were clewed up, the anchor was dropped to the bottom, and asalute from the ship, answered by the forts, added to the effect of thescene. The sails were furled, the boats lowered down, the boatswainsquared the yards from the jolly-boat ahead. Mr Falcon dressed, and hisboat being manned, went on shore with the despatches. Then, as soon asthe work was over, a new scene of delight presented itself to the sightof midshipmen who had been so long upon his Majesty's allowance. Thesewere the boats, which crowded round the ship, loaded with baskets ofbananas, oranges, shaddocks, soursops, and every other kind of tropicalfruit, fried flying fish, eggs, fowls, milk, and everything which couldtempt a poor boy after a long sea voyage. The watch being called, downwe all hastened into the boats, and returned loaded with treasures,which we soon contrived to make disappear. After stowing away as muchfruit as would have sufficed for a dessert to a dinner given to twentypeople in England, I returned on deck.
There was no other man-of-war in the bay; but my attention was directedto a beautiful little vessel, a schooner, whose fairy form contrastedstrongly with a West India trader which lay close to her. All of asudden, as I was looking at her beautiful outline, a yell rose from herwhich quite startled me, and immediately afterwards her deck was coveredwith nearly two hundred naked figures with woolly heads, chattering andgrinning at each other. She was a Spanish slaver, which had beencaptured, and had arrived the evening before. The slaves were still onboard, waiting the orders of the governor. They had been on deck aboutten minutes, when three or four men, with large panama straw hats ontheir heads, and long rattans in their hands, jumped upon the gunnel,and in a few seconds drove them all down below. I then turned round, andobserved a black woman who had just climbed up the side of the frigate.O'Brien was on deck, and she walked up to him in the most consequentialmanner.
"How do you do, sar? Very happy you com back again," said she toO'Brien.
"I'm very well, I thank you, ma'am," replied O'Brien, "and I hope to goback the same; but never having put my foot into this bay before, youhave the advantage of me."
"Nebber here before, so help me Gad! me tink I know you--me tink Irecollect your handsome face--I Lady Rodney, sar. Ah, piccaninny buccra!how you do?" said she, turning round to me. "Me hope to hab the honourto wash for you, sar," courtesying to O'Brien.
"What do you charge in this place?"
"All the same price, one bit a piece."
"What do you call a bit?" inquired I.
"A bit, lilly massa?--what you call um _bit_? Dem four _sharp shins _toa pictareen."
Our deck was now enlivened by several army officers, besides gentlemenresidents, who came off to hear the news. Invitations to the mess and tothe houses of the gentlemen followed, and as they departed Mr Falconreturned on board. He told O'Brien and the other officers, that theadmiral and squadron were expected in a few days, and that we were toremain in Carlisle Bay and refit immediately. But although the frightabout the yellow fever had considerably subsided in our breasts, theremembrance that our poor captain was lying dead in the cabin wasconstantly obtruding. All that night the carpenters were up making uphis coffin, for he was to be buried the next day. The body is neverallowed to remain many hours unburied in the tropical climates, whereputrefaction is so rapid. The following morning the men were up atdaylight, washing the decks and putting the ship in order; they workedwillingly, and yet with a silent decorum which showed what theirfeelings were. Never were the decks better cleaned, never were the ropesmore carefully _flemished_ down; the hammocks were stowed in their whitecloths, the yards carefully squared, and the ropes hauled taut. At eighto'clock, the colours and pennant were hoisted half-mast high. The menwere then ordered down to breakfast, and to clean themselves. During thetime that the men were at breakfast, all the officers went into thecabin to take a last farewell look at our gallant captain. He appearedto have died without pain, and there was a beautiful tranquillity in hisface; but even already a change had taken place, and we perceived thenecessity of his being buried so soon. We saw him placed in his coffin,and then quitted the cabin without speaking to each other. When thecoffin was nailed down, it was brought up by the barge's crew to thequarter-deck, and laid upon the gratings amidships, covered over withthe Union Jack. The men came up from below without waiting for the pipe,and a solemnity appeared to pervade every motion. Order and quiet wereuniversal, out of respect to the deceased. When the boats were orderedto be manned, the men almost appeared to steal into them. The bargereceived the coffin, which was placed in the stern sheets. The otherboats then hauled up, and received the officers, marines, and sailors,who were to follow the procession. When all was ready, the barge wasshoved off by the bow-men, the crew dropped their oars into the waterwithout a splash and pulled the _minute stroke: _the other boatsfollowed, and as soon as they were clear of the ship, the minute gunsboomed along the smooth surface of the bay from the opposite side of theship, while the yards were topped to starboard and to port, the ropeswere slackened and hung in bights, so as to give the idea of distressand neglect. At the same time, a dozen or more of the men who had beenready, dropped over the sides of the ship in differents [sic] parts, andwith their cans of paint and brushes in a few minutes effaced the wholeof the broad white riband which marked the beautiful run of the frigate,and left her all black and in deep mourning. The guns from the forts nowresponded to our own. The merchant ships lowered their colours, and themen stood up respectfully with their hats off, as the procession movedslowly to the landing-place. The coffin was borne to the burial-groundby the crew of the barge, followed by Mr Falcon as chief mourner, allthe officers of the ship who could be spared, one hundred of the seamenwalking two and two, and the marines with their arms reversed. The_cortege_ was joined by the army officers, while the troops lined thestreets, and the bands played the Dead March. The service was read, thevolleys were fired over the grave, and with oppressed feelings wereturned to the boats, and pulled on board. It then appeared to me, andto a certain degree I was correct, that as soon as we had paid our lastrespect to his remains, we had also forgotten our grief. The yards wereagain squared, the ropes hauled taut, working dresses resumed, and allwas activity and bustle. The fact is, that sailors and soldiers have notime for lamentation, and running as they do from clime to clime, sodoes scene follow scene in the same variety and quickness. In a day ortwo, the captain appeared to be, although he was not, forgotten. Ourfirst business was to _water_ the ship by rafting and towing off thecasks. I was in charge of the boat again, with Swinburne as coxswain. Aswe pulled in, there were a number of negroes bathing in the surf,bobbing their woolly heads under it, as it rolled into the bea
ch. "Now,Mr Simple," said Swinburne, "see how I'll make them _niggers_ scamper."He then stood up in the stern sheets, and pointing with his finger,roared out, "A shark! a shark!" Away started all the bathers for thebeach, puffing and blowing, from their dreaded enemy; nor did they stopto look for him until they were high and dry out of his reach. Then,when we all laughed, they called us "_all the hangman tiefs_," and everyother opprobrious name which they could select from their vocabulary. Iwas very much amused with this scene, and as much afterwards with thenegroes who crowded round us when we landed. They appeared such merryfellows, always laughing, chattering, singing, and showing their whiteteeth. One fellow danced round us, snapping his fingers, and singingsongs without beginning or end. "Eh, massa, what you say now? Me noslave--true Barbadian born, sir. Eh!
"Nebba see de day Dat Rodney run away, Nebba see um night Dat Rodney cannot fight.
Massa me free man, sar. Suppose you give me pictareen, drink massahealth.
"Nebba see de day, boy, Pompey lickum de Caesar.
Eh! and you nebba see de day dat de Grasshopper run on de Warrington."
"Out of the way, you nigger," cried one of the men who was rolling downa cask.
"Eh! who you call nigger? Me free man, and true Barbadian born. Go alongyou man-of-war man.
"Man-of-war, buccra, Man-of-war, buccra, He de boy for me; Sodger, buccra, Sodger, buccra, Nebba, nebba do, Nebba, nebba do for me; Sodger give me one shilling, Sailor give me two.
Massa, now suppose you give me only one pictareen now. You reallyhandsome young gentleman."
"Now, just walk off," said Swinburne, lifting up a stick he found on thebeach.
"Eh! walk off.
"Nebba see de day, boy, 'Badian run away, boy.
Go, do your work, sar. Why you talk to me? Go, work, sar. I free man,and real Barbadian born.
"Negro on de shore See de ship come in, De buccra come on shore, Wid de hand up to the chin; Man-of-war buccra, Man-of-war buccra, He de boy for me, Man-of-war, buccra, Man-of-war, buccra, Gib pictareen to me."
At this moment my attention was directed to another negro, who lay onthe beach rolling and foaming at the mouth, apparently in a fit. "What'sthe matter with that fellow?" said I to the same negro who continuedclose to me, notwithstanding Swinburne's stick. "Eh! call him Sam Slack,massa. He ab um _tic tic_ fit." And such was apparently the case. "Stop,me cure him;" and he snatched the stick out of Swinburne's hand, andrunning up to the man, who continued to roll on the beach, commencedbelabouring him without mercy. "Eh, Sambo!" cried he at last, quite outof breath, "you no better yet--try again." He recommenced, until at lastthe man got up and ran away as fast as he could. Now, whether the manwas shamming, or whether it was real _tic tic_, or epileptic fit, I knownot; but I never heard of such a cure for it before. I threw the fellowhalf a pictareen, as much for the amusement he had afforded me as to getrid of him. "Tanky, massa; now man-of-war man, here de tick for youagain to keep off all the dam niggers." So saying, he handed the stickto Swinburne, made a polite bow, and departed. We were, however, soonsurrounded by others, particularly some dingy ladies with baskets offruit, and who, as they said, "sell ebery ting." I perceived that mysailors were very fond of cocoa-nut milk, which, being a harmlessbeverage, I did not object to their purchasing from these ladies, whohad chiefly cocoa-nuts in their baskets. As I had never tasted it, Iasked them what it was, and bought a cocoa-nut. I selected the largest."No, massa, dat not good for you. Better one for buccra officer." I thenselected another, but the same objection was made. "No, massa, dis veryfine milk. Very good for de tomac." I drank off the milk from the holeson the top of the cocoa-nut, and found it very refreshing. As for thesailors, they appeared very fond of it indeed. But I very soon foundthat if good for de tomac, it was not very good for the head, as my men,instead of rolling the casks, began to roll themselves in alldirections, and when it was time to go off to dinner, most of them weredead drunk at the bottom of the boat. They insisted that it was the_sun_ which affected them. Very hot it certainly was, and I believedthem at first, when they were only giddy; but I was convinced to thecontrary when I found that they became insensible; yet how they hadprocured the liquor was to me a mystery. When I came on board, MrFalcon, who, although acting captain, continued his duties as firstlieutenant almost as punctually as before, asked how it was that I hadallowed my men to get so tipsy. I assured him that I could not tell,that I had never allowed one to leave the watering-place, or to buy anyliquor: the only thing that they had to drink was a little cocoa-nutmilk, which, as it was so very hot, I thought there could be noobjection to. Mr Falcon smiled and said, "Mr Simple, I'm an old stagerin the West Indies, and I'll let you into a secret. Do you know what'_sucking the monkey_' means?" "No, sir." "Well, then, I'll tell you; itis a term used among seamen for drinking _rum_ out of _cocoa-nuts, _themilk having been poured out, and the liquor substituted. Now do youcomprehend why your men are tipsy?" I stared with all my eyes, for itnever would have entered into my head; and I then perceived why it wasthat the black woman would not give me the first cocoa-nuts which Iselected. I told Mr Falcon of this circumstance, who replied, "Well, itwas not your fault, only you must not forget it another time."
It was my first watch that night, and Swinburne was quarter-master ondeck. "Swinburne," said I, "you have often been in the West Indiesbefore, why did you not tell me that the men were '_sucking the monkey_'when I thought that they were only drinking cocoa-nut milk?"
Swinburne chuckled, and answered, "Why, Mr Simple, d'ye see, it didn'tbecome me as a ship-mate to peach. It's but seldom that a poor fellowhas an opportunity of making himself a 'little happy,' and it would notbe fair to take away the chance. I suppose you'll never let them havecocoa-nut milk again?"
"No, that I will not; but I cannot imagine what pleasure they can findin getting so tipsy."
"It's merely because they are not allowed to be so, sir. That's thewhole story in few words."
"Well, I think I could cure them if I were permitted to try."
"I should like to hear how you'd manage that, Mr Simple."
"Why, I would oblige a man to drink off a half pint of liquor, and thenput him by himself. I would not allow him companions to make merry withso as to make a pleasure of intoxication. I would then wait until nextmorning when he was sober, and leave him alone with a racking headacheuntil the evening, when I would give him another dose, and so on,forcing him to get drunk until he hated the smell of liquor."
"Well, Mr Simple, it might do with some, but many of our chaps wouldrequire the dose you mention to be repeated pretty often before it wouldeffect a cure; and what's more, they'd be very willing patients, andmake no wry faces at their physic."
"Well, that might be, but it would cure them at last. But tell me,Swinburne, were you ever in a hurricane?"
"I've been in everything, Mr Simple, I believe, except at school, and Inever had no time to go there. Do you see that battery at Needham Point?Well, in the hurricane of '82, them same guns were whirled away by thewind, right over to this point here on the opposite side, the sentriesin their sentry-boxes after them. Some of the soldiers who faced thewind had their teeth blown down their throats like broken 'baccy-pipes,others had their heads turned round like dog vanes, 'cause they waitedfor orders to the '_right about face_,' and the whole air was full ofyoung _niggers_ blowing about like peelings of _ingons_."
"You don't suppose I believe all this, Swinburne?"
"That's as may be, Mr Simple, but I've told the story so often, that Ibelieve it myself."
"What ship were you in?"
"In the _Blanche_, Captain Faulkner, who was as fine a fellow as poorCaptain Savage, whom we buried yesterday; there could not be a finerthan either of them. I was at the taking of the Pique, and carried himdown below after he had received his mortal wound. We did a pretty thingout here when we took Fort Royal by a coup-de-_main_, which means,boarding from the _main_-yard of the frigate, and dropping from it intothe fort. But what's that under the mo
on?--there's a sail in theoffing."
Swinburne fetched the glass and directed it to the spot. "One, two,three, four. It's the admiral, sir, and the squadron hove-to for thenight. One's a line-of-battle ship, I'll swear." I examined the vessels,and agreeing with Swinburne, reported them to Mr Falcon. My watch wasthen over, and as soon as I was released I went to my hammock.
END OF VOL. I.
TURNBULL AND SPEARS, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH.
PETER SIMPLE
AND
THE THREE CUTTERS
BY
CAPTAIN MARRYAT
VOL. II.
LONDON
J.M. DENT AND CO.
BOSTON: LITTLE, BROWN AND CO.
MDCCCXCV